A Wizard's Summer
by me4
Summary: Normal, Long, HP fanfic! Harry Potter is at the Hogwarts Summer Program, and he meets another friend and 2 new teachers join the staff.
1.

(Disclaimer: Characters are NOT mine; Well, all except the ones you don't recognize..o.o;!! So, read and review! Please. I need reviews. Please.....please!!!!!! Thankees! G'day.)

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Chapter One

As Harry walked into Hogwarts, he felt a great air of excitement, for this was the summer program at his magical wizard school, and he would do anything to escape the wrath of the Dursleys. Over his last year at Hogwarts, they had gotten extremely worse than before. Dudley was tremendously big, and Aunt Petunia was nosier than ever. Plus, Uncle Vernon became stricter, with not allowing Harry out of his room the whole week he was at home. 

He had signed up for the summer program along with Ron and Hermione; otherwise it would have been quite boring. The actual program was extra practice on any subject you want to study for, including Quidditch, the ultimate sport of wizards throughout Europe. It would all be so perfect, but for one horrible matter. Draco Malfoy had also joined the summer program, hearing that Harry was joining. He obviously didn't care about the extra studies or practice at Quidditch. All he wanted to do was torment Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Harry met up with Hermione and Ron at King's Cross, the train station leading to Hogwarts. They had gone through the brick wall, which was actually a walk-through barrier to the train that took them to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Although this was only a one-month program, Harry was terribly excited. He had brought his broomstick, the _Firebolt_, for which he won the Quidditch Cup in his third year attending Hogwarts.

Back to the present, Harry was examining a new picture that had appeared on the wall of the Great Hall. It was a mummy, wrapped tightly, whispering quiet little voices to a Pharaoh, who was standing next to it. The Pharaoh looked up at Harry, startled by his presence, and tried to throw an insane scarab at him. Of course, it only bounced back towards him off of the picture frame, and scuttled towards the mummy, at which caused him to scurry away in quick hops out of the picture. 

Ron was staring at Hermione with narrowed eyes. She didn't seem to notice, but Harry eyed him cautiously. It must have been something she said on the train, he thought. At that moment, Albus Dumbledore had suddenly appeared and began walking towards them down the hall. Following closely behind him, unfortunately, was Severus Snape. Snape was the potions teacher at Hogwarts, and Harry extremely disliked him. 

Snape looked at Harry with a sense of loathing in his eyes, and Harry turned away from his glare. He began whispering to Dumbledore, who turned deathly white. He looked at him, his eyes questioning.   
"Are you sure, Severus? Here? At this exact moment? Oh yes, immediately...I will attend. Tell the staff to meet me in the lounge, I'll hurry. But first, I must speak with Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said to Snape. At this, he scowled at Harry for no reason, and walked away, his cloak swinging behind him. He paused and looked back towards Harry, a narrow grin spreading across his cold face. Apparently, Malfoy and his goons had just walked into the Great Hall.

"Ugh. You're here, Potter? Ruins my summer, that does." Malfoy said coldheartedly to Harry, and then he turned to Ron and gave him a glare that would shock a ghost. The back of Ron's neck started to turn red, and his eyes glazed. 

He turned to Harry and whispered, "I swear, if he says anything to me about my family, I'm going to...," He stopped, unfortunately, because Snape had re-entered the hall. Dumbledore turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione and motioned for them to move towards the Gryffindor Table.

"Harry, do you know the location of Sirius? The Ministry of Magic is still looking for him, and it seems Lord Voldemort is again on rampage." Dumbledore whispered to the three, and cautiously looked off towards Snape, who was eyeing them suspiciously. 

"Oh, I don't know where he is; he doesn't tell me in any letters. He's probably really busy with searching for Voldemort and whatnot." Harry answered, and looked again towards Ron, who was shifting nervously. Suddenly, Snape walked over, his steps in quick motions.

"Headmaster? We must be going...They are waiting for us to discuss--" He tried to say, but Dumbledore held his hand up to stop him from saying something he did not want any students to hear.

"I'm on my way, and I beg of you, do not bother me in a private session again. Understood?" Dumbledore said quickly, his voice tingling with a note of power in it. He winked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and swiftly turned and followed Snape out of the hall.

"Oh dear. I must say, I forgot how interesting this book really is." Hermione was holding up Hogwarts, A History, and spoke for the first time in a long time. Ron jumped at the sound of her voice and turned around mumbling something about "people these days." Hermione abruptly made a squirming noise and pointed to the end of the hallway. Standing among the light was Cho Chang, a girl whom Harry liked a great deal. 

Harry blushed with shyness, and dropped his broomstick. The clatter made such a noise that all the talking in the hall had stopped. 

"Hello Harry, Ron, and Hermione! How have you been? I had no idea you signed up for the summer program too! It's so great you three are here, since only about 10 other people are here. Well, I'll be seeing you!" Cho called from the other end of the hall, not noticing how silent it was and how high her voice was. She blushed furiously, turned around and quickly walked over to her friends. Harry noticed a swift movement about her, her cape swinging behind her making such a soft noise it reminded Harry of the wings of a bird.

Hermione let out a diminutive giggle, and then looked away as Harry turned to her. She was looking at someone from the Ravenclaw table, and as she looked away, a person at the table also looked away. Harry had seen him in classes before, although he didn't know which class. The boy, undoubtedly, was Alexander, a Ravenclaw prefect. His eyes were blue as ice and his hair was greasy blonde. 

Ron came back to reality and noticed Dumbledore had re-entered the Great Hall and was motioning for everyone to sit down. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took three seats at the Gryffindor table, and Dumbledore began talking. 

"Welcome to the summer program at Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry! You will be studying and practicing extra studies, and practicing for Quidditch!" He glanced over at Harry and winked, which in turn made Malfoy snicker and scowl.

"More importantly," he continued, "is the new class to be introduced! I'm sure some of you will be interested in Concentrational Course, the act of focusing your magical powers onto one very specific thing. Plus, we have a new staff member, in place of the Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. You all know this before everyone else who did _not _sign up for the extra program, but please do not send an owl out to any other friends and tell them; otherwise I will have to kill you." He added a chuckle, but his words still sent a ripple of heads turning towards each other. Harry raised an eyebrow to Ron, thinking about sending a letter to someone in particular. 

"As I was saying, you will have short days that last for about 5 hours. You will take your 3 elective classes in the morning, and then shall have the rest of the day off to practice some..Er..sports, so to say. We will have a miniature competition of Quidditch, in which the 4 houses will be split into two. Hufflepuff will join together with Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor shall go with Slytherin." A sudden moaning came from the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables, for they are complete enemies. Through all the frowns, Malfoy seemed particularly happy about the subject. An evil grin had spread across his face and he began whispering to Crabbe and Goyle.

After Dumbledore had dismissed the Great Hall, everyone went to his or her temporary dorms. Hermione had brought Crookshanks, which may be the reason Ron was looking quite unhappy. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had all decided to go to the lake outside. They exited Hogwarts and went to sit in the grass under the tree. Ron threw a piece of bread into the lake, at which the Giant Squid grabbed and took under the water. 

Suddenly, Harry had an odd feeling and looked off towards the door. His heart sank when he saw Cho walk out, hand in hand with Alexander. He dared not say anything, for Hermione was looking as if she liked Alexander. But, she looked too and gave out a cry. She sat up and started trotting off towards the Quidditch field. Harry decided to follow, with Ron behind him reluctantly. 

When they got to the field, they weren't the only ones there. They hadn't seen them exit the school, but Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were there, on the left side of the field, dodging each other on their brooms. Crabbe and Goyle had old and slow brooms, but Malfoy's was new and quick. He flew over Hermione's head, for she was the one who entered the field first. She ignored him with passion and sat on the bleachers. But Malfoy landed on the ground when Harry and Ron walked onto the turf. 

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Poor Weasley and Famous Potter. What have you done to poor Hermione? She seems upset, Potter, did you turn her down yet _again_? My, my, my. If only you had the cunningness of a Malfoy and if you only had at least a sickle, Weasley." He kicked dirt onto Ron's shoes. 

Ron had had enough. He walked up to Malfoy, looked him straight in the eye and said "Malfoy, have you ever noticed the gleam in Crabbe's eye? Every time he looks at Hermione? You never did, did you? Never noticed that your own goon had turned on you. Hermione had told me, he sent an owl to her the day he got home! How's that for your joke? Now, I do believe you wouldn't want everyone knowing that a _Slytherin_ likes Hermione?"

Malfoy looked stunned. He turned to Crabbe, who was taking minute steps backwards and mumbling something nobody could actually understand. 

"Let's go, Goyle. Crabbe, go sit with your _girlfriend _a while." He tormented Crabbe, who now stood alone. Malfoy and Goyle trotted off, Crabbe motionless behind them. Harry turned to Crabbe. He had never really seen him away from Malfoy, and he looked smaller and less stalwart than before.

"Hi..Harry..Ron.." He mumbled, and Ron raised his eyebrow to him. Hermione had walked up behind Harry and was pulling on his sleeve. 

"Harry..er.." She whispered in her ear, and from what she mumbled next would have shocked the world. Harry nearly fell over in disarray. 

"Harry.." Hermione continued. "Sirius was..err...just..walking around..with Buckbeak. He was in his animagi form, but I know it was him."

"Are you sure, Hermione? Ron! C'mon, we got to go!" Harry pulled Ron's sleeve and off they went towards the castle. But, although Harry, Ron, and Hermione did not know, Vincent Crabbe had overheard them and was standing where he was with a crazy grin on his face.


	2. 

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Chapter Two

Harry was having a dream that, as they were talking about Sirius, someone had overheard. This was insane, but Harry didn't understand it. For, on the day of the Opening Banquet, Hermione believed she had sighted Sirius on Buckbeak. Although it looked very much like Sirius, it was only Hagrid who looked as if he was great dog, next to a different Hippogriff. 

On Sunday morning, Harry was awoken by Ron, who was shaking him quite fiercely. Ron was looking of towards the window, and Harry was looking puzzled.

"Ron..Hey, I'm up, I'm up! What? C'mon Ron, it's Sunday! Go to sleep; it's only 7 in the morning!" Harry said, fumbling around his dorm looking for his glasses.

"Harry...Harry! You'll never believe what I saw!" Ron said, his hair rather a mess. His eyes were completely wide open as he stared out the window. His freckles seemed to stand out more, and were as big as his eyes!

"What? What'd you see? If this is something about Hermione, I don't want-" Harry started to say, but was cut off by Ron, who, at the moment, was bolting down the stairs into the common room. Harry groaned, found his glasses at last, and wandered down to the common room.

"Harry!! Hurry up! Hermione is--" Ron began, but was cut off by Harry this time. He had flopped down onto the fluffy chair in the common room by the fire. 

"Ron, I don't care what you think about Hermione! I know you two were angry at eachother before, and I know you didn't want to come to this summer thing with her, but please Ron, if you don't like her, don't bother me about it! I mean, seriously, I was dreaming about.." Harry ended, not wanting to share his dreams with Ron.

"No, Harry! I saw her..and you won't believe this but...She was giggling while talking to _Snape_! And I'm not kidding, she was talking to him and giggling!" Ron said, his face gone white, even though it was quite warm by the fire.

"Ron, have you been dreaming? That would never happen! Hermione despises him as much as we do! Why on Earth would she be giggling while talking to him? He treats her horribly!" Harry said, still tired for he had only gone to sleep at midnight because he had a very odd feeling creeping over him.

Ron blinked at him and then ran out of the common room calling behind him something that sounded very much like "follow me," so Harry set out sleepily to the halls of Hogwarts. He ran into the wall a few times, which delayed him, and Ron turned back and decided to drag Harry down to an area near the dungeons. 

As Harry stood, he _did _hear giggling in a voice that was very much like Hermione's. He suddenly woke up and stood there, listening intently. 

"My word, Ron you're right! It _is_ Hermione and she _is_ giggling! I would have ne-" He almost finished his sentence before a gruff hand had grabbed his robe and lifted him about a foot above the ground.

"Did I catch you spying on my dungeons, Potter? Or perhaps you were spying on who you thought was your little girlfriend, who your friend Ron heard giggling 30 minutes before now?" It was Snape, and he had a crazy grin upon his face which made Harry shudder.

"I---I..Sir..Errr..." Harry couldn't think of anything to say; but at that moment, a graceful figure had moved out from the dungeons, and Harry was quite sure it was Hermione, but it wasn't. It must have been the new defense against the dark arts professor. She had dark brown hair, flowing smoothly out from behind her, and her footsteps were remarkable. Her face was set in a quiet smile and her gaze was upon Harry.

"Is this the Harry Potter I've heard oh so much about? Severus, do put him down. It must be terrible to be up like that in the hands of his most feared professor, don't you think?" She smiled the smile that would make anyone melt, and Snape gently put Harry down.

"Well..Acandra, I was merely stating to him not to go seeking out his fellow friends, for they" at this point he motioned to Ron and Harry, "they were believing you were their dear friend, Hermione Granger. What a horrible mistake, indeed.." For an instance, his eyes sparkled as he looked to the new teacher.

"Severus, may I speak with these two alone, for just a minute? I will continue talking to you about this school within a few minutes." She looked to him, and he immediately walked back to the dungeons.

"So, you're the famous Harry Potter and his friend Ron Weasley? I've heard oh so much about you from Professors Dumbledore and Snape. Of course, their versions of you're behavior are quite diverse. Now, why did you believe me to be your friend?" She looked at Ron, who looked down as if he wasn't good enough to be looked at by her. 

"Err..I..well..You giggle like she does, I guess, and we well..heard you talking with Snape and thought you were Hermione, which is really scary because she hates him as much as we do.." Harry said, and shuffled his feet. He felt a weird sensation as he stood in front of her, and Ron felt as if he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Perhaps she was part Veela.

"Oh dear, I believe I have done it again. I have a strange incantation over me; once I hear a voice I like, I keep the same voice until I realize it was not my personal voice. I must have heard your friend yesterday, giggling at you two, for there was a girl with bushy brown hair staring at both of you yesterday, and as you glanced at her, she looked away. Someone looks quite smitten with you two dears." At this information, Harry glanced at Ron, his eyebrows raised, but Ron looked as if he was smitten with _Acandra_. 

"Well..we..must really be getting back to our common rooms..Sleep is really important to..err..us..." Harry mumbled, grabbed Ron's sleeves and began slowly walking towards the Gryffindor Common Room, but for some reason, he was unable to move. It was like his legs hesitated on leaving back Acandra. Ron, too, seemed to notice this, for he gave Harry a petrified look and whispered "Harry, does it feel like you don't want to leave either? I mean, I want to leave, but my legs won't let me!" 

"Dears, weren't you leaving? I must go, but you seem to have something on your minds. Would you care to share it with me?" Acandra said, and for some insane reason, Ron turned around and looked at her.

"Yes, I was wondering if you were part Veela and if you will be teacher here for long. You gave me a very strange sensation and I won't leave until you tell me to." Ron shook out of his stupor, as if he didn't know he was saying what he had said. Harry stared at him for a moment, until Acandra began to speak.

"My dears, I am half Veela and I do command you to go to your common rooms immediately, that is, unless I must take away house points from you for disobeying my instructions." She said this differently than her other voice, which was sweet and gentle. The voice she spoke in now was gruff and rude, and it scared Harry and Ron. But, they began walking back towards the common room, in a mutual agreement that another evil has settled in the school.

As they reached the common room, Harry paused and turned to look at Ron. Ron was staring at the picture of the fat lady and twitching in the utmost terrible way.

"Ron, what just happened?" Harry stared openly at the floor. Then he mumbled the pass word, which was "wubbieschnoodles", and wandered into the common room, not at all surprised to see Hermione in a chair in the back of the room.

"Did you guys even know I was back here? The whole time Ron had talked to you about my 'giggling at Snape', I was here! You didn't even have the decency to look for me, and I would never giggle at Snape!" Hermione had said, which scared Ron a bit, because he was still thinking about the new teacher.

"Hermione, we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, you know? She's half Veela, and _smitten_ with Snape! She has an incantation o-" Harry explained, but Ron interrupted him.

"Hermione, were you staring at us during the Opening Banquet?" Ron looked eagerly towards her, no longer frustrated with trying to understand Acandra.

"Well..I was just..looking at you because..Well.." She began, looking down at her feet and blushing rather more than usual. Ron and Harry had taken seats by chairs near to her, and were looking at her, Ron with an eager smile on his face, and Harry who's face was solemn with wonder.

"I thought you two looked really handsome at the banquet, being all polite and sitting up straight, whispering about things that you would do this year. I was just wishing I had a friend like you two are, to tell secrets with. I can't exactly tell secrets with you, now can I? Boys don't like girl talk, and Ginny isn't as old as I am, and she doesn't know how I feel about having friends. She's the most popular girl at school these days, and I'm still 'the smartest girl who's _friends _with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley'. Would either of you like to be shunned to the side while your two best friends were practically famous?" As she explained this, her face turned the color of rose and she ran out of the common room up to the girl's dorm, where she began to comfort her cat, Crookshanks.

Ron and Harry gave eachother quizzical looks and then decided to walk up to try to talk to Hermione. When they reached the girl's dorm, they looked in, and saw Hermione in the corner of her bed, looking at the door as if it was the most evil thing in the world.

"Hermione, we never knew! If you..well..I don't know what to say, Hermione. You're our best friend, too, you know." Harry said, laying a hand on her shoulder only to console her. She was looking down at the sheets, and looked up at them and said, "Well, I'm sorry, I guess. I was just frustrated with this summer thing. I forgot to bring a book I found the first week I was at home, and well..It was a really good book at the time." 


	3. Troublesome Teachers These Days

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Chapter Three

Although the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was half Veela and did have a strange sensation on Harry and Ron, it didn't seem to affect anyone else. On Monday, they all went to class as if it were the same school year. There were more than 10 people, as Cho had said before at the Opening Banquet. There, actually, was about 100. Usually there are around 500, so it was a bit quieter. 

Ron was still dazed by his encounter with Acandra. They didn't even know her name! Hermione found this out for them, though, on Monday. Hermione had decided to take Defense Against the Dark Arts, and soon forced Ron and Harry to join it too. Her name was Acandra Darinsta. Every time Harry heard that name, it sent shivers down his back.

In Harry and Ron's first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, they decided to sit by Hermione at the back. This did not stop Darinsta, however, for she decided to make them answer all her questions, and if they answered incorrectly, they would lose 10 points for their house. Since she was friends with Snape, it seems she favored the Slytherin as well. Malfoy and Goyle, seeing that Crabbe was not in their group anymore, were quite smug with themselves. They sat in the corner, getting everything wrong, and at the end of the class losing only 2 Slytherin points, when Gryffindor had lost 30.

Harry and Ron left to go to the Quidditch field in a very sulky mood. 

"Cheer up, Harry! It's Quidditch time! I can't wait to see you beat Slytherin, again! Too bad we couldn't have Quidditch last year, with the Triwizard Tournament." Hermione tried to put them in a good mood, but it was no use. Darinsta's incantation seemed to affect anyone she chose. 

Since there were some missing players, Ron decided to try out for Quidditch. What the team hadn't thought of was there was no more Keeper. Oliver Wood had left when they entered 4th year, and they hadn't played since. Ron had a very old broom, and he didn't do very well on it. Harry let him use his Firebolt, and Ron looked as if he was receiving the best present in the world.

With the Firebolt, Ron was an orange blur with his hair sticking up on end. He dodged, swerved, turned, and blocked until he won their practice game. He was as good a Keeper as Wood! With Ron on the team, Harry thought, they could beat every game!

After their little game, Ron was in such a jolly mood than before, he was happy to talk to Hermione. She seemed overjoyed with his wanting to talk to her, for he had been quite sulky the whole weekend.

"Hermione! Love the hair." Ron was passing compliments to everyone he saw. Harry and Hermione exchanged looks and shrugged.

"Err..Thanks Ron..I think.." Hermione replied, not knowing what to say, for no body had ever complimented her hair before, except at the Yule Ball. Thinking back, Ron wondered why he was so angry that night. Maybe it was because he was with Padma, she was very sulky too.

"Weasley, what happened, did your parents win the lottery?" Malfoy seemed to be in the same mood, tossing insults at anyone he saw. He was walking through the hallways next to Goyle, and Crabbe was, amazingly, off with Cho and Alexander. Hermione and Harry noticed this at the same time, and exchanged glances. 

"No, Malfoy, I realized that you're no more than a mere Malfoy, who couldn't hurt a fly." Ron retorted, and Harry looked at him in amazement. He wasn't even blushing red. Malfoy, who looked amazed that Ron would actually throw and insult at _him_, gave Goyle a strange look. 

Suddenly, Parvati Patil walked by Harry. Harry looked at her, and she was stunning with her hair up in 2 braids and then spiraled together. She smiled at Ron and gave Harry a wink. She seemed to ignore Hermione. 

"Hi Harry! Hullo Ron.." She didn't like either Ron nor Hermione, which made them go off to see what Seamus and Dean were doing. Most everyone had come to the summer program that were in Gryffindor, but very few Slytherins turned up. Cho was still there, but today she looked quite sulky. 

Harry wandered off to where Cho was standing. They had become friends over the course of last year's events. Even though last year was so much fun, it was devastating as well. Cedric Diggory, a happy Hufflepuff in his 7th year, died after Harry and him had been transported by a portkey to where Voldemort stood, his wand poised, and killed Cedric on the spot with the spell that had also killed Harry's parents. 

Cho was looking at a moving picture of Cedric, who was waving exceedingly at her. She was silently letting tears flow down her face, and when Harry came, Cedric waved more vastly. 

"Hey Cho, how are you?" Harry said, trying to make casual conversation. He noticed she was looking off towards where Alexander was walking. 

"Err..Nothing Harry. I got to..go..eat..something." She wandered off, following Alexander. Harry sighed and wandered around looking for Ron and Hermione. He found them talking to Prof. Dumbledore on the stairs leading up to Charms Class. 

"Why, hello Mr. Potter. We were just discussing you. Why so sulky?" Dumbledore seemed quite concerned about Harry most of the time, and it gave Harry the shivers. 

"Err..Nothing's wrong, Professor. I was just sulky because.." Harry began, but decided not to tell anyone about his feelings for Cho. Hermione, however, seemed she already knew. She motioned for him to follow her and walked down the stairs.

"Harry...Did you see Cho with Alexander earlier?" She questioned him, a strange look in her eyes he had never seen before.

"Yeah, I did. I guess she found someone after.." He was about to say something about Cedric, but it seemed inappropriate at the time. Harry decided to skip Charms class, which made Hermione nearly faint. 

"Skip Charms? Are you serious?!" She asked, rather scared by the thought. She had to sit down on the steps to catch her breath. 

"Hermione, I'll just catch up on it later when we're actually 5th years. We don't even have to be here. Tell Professor Flitwick I'm sick, okay? Won't y-" Harry was cut off by the most annoying voice he could think of. Apparently Colin Creevey had signed up for the program too.

"Harry! You're here! This is weird! I didn't know you were here!" Colin was Harry's biggest 'fan.' 

"Yes, Colin, I'm here. What do you want?" Harry replied in a monotonous, dragged out voice. But before Colin replied, he eyed Hermione and Harry suspiciously, gasped, and then ran down the steps at a very fast pace. 

"What's into him?" Hermione and Harry exchanged glances, and then went back up to Dumbledore and Ron. Apparently they were discussing yet another picture on the wall. It had a lost Pharaoh in it. Harry recognized it was the same Pharaoh from the picture he saw on Opening Night! The Pharaoh caught site of him, and decided to pelt Harry with Scarabs. Fortunately, they bounced off the picture again, and scuttled back to the Pharaoh and the original picture characters, who were actually farmers.

"Ron, I'm going to go out to the lake, want to come?" Harry talked to Ron after Dumbldore had left, for if he knew Harry and Ron were actually planning to skip class, he would not allow it. Ron agreed, and they started walking down the stairs. But, in their path, was the one and only Acandra Darinsta. 


	4. The Mesmerizing Torture

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Chapter Four

Harry stopped immediately. Ron didn't notice and nearly ran into her. After noticing she was there, he gave a slight whimper and stepped back to Harry.

"Where on Earth are you two going? I daresay, you are not skipping Charms class, now are you?" She was using her harsh tone, and it sent shivers down their backs. A swift moving figure approached behind them, and they were overjoyed to see it was Professor McGonagall.

"Weasley! Potter! Come with me, please! Dear Acandra, may I please take them? I will punish them severely for their inability to follow directions." She seemed serious, grabbed their sleeves and practically dragged them out of hearing distance from Professor Darinsta.

"Potter, Weasley, are you two okay?" McGonagall's tone was nicer than ever before, and she seemed very concerned for them talking to Darinsta.

"Huh? What? Why wouldn't we be..?" Ron asked, staring at her with the utmost terror on his face. Professor McGonagall returned to her regular look, stern and strict. 

"Professor Darinsta is pure evil. I tell you, stay away from her. I was trying to persuade the Headmaster from accepting her as the Defense the Against Dark Arts Teacher, but he wouldn't give up. Apparently, she has this effect on all men. I suppose she had you mesmerized in her presence?" Her eyes showed she felt sympathy towards them, and they were amazed by this new side of the strictest professor in Hogwarts.

"Well, yeah, I guess so. If you call it mesmerizing, we just-" Harry was cut off, yet again, by Ron. He seemed to develop the bad habit of interrupting people.

"We met her sometime before. I thought I heard Hermione's giggle, while talking to Snape, but it was..her..and then it was like we couldn't move until she told us to." He acted as if he wasn't afraid to share his feelings at all, which is very rare.

"My, my, my. I must go inform the Headmaster. How could he possibly have a cousin like this.." She mumbled, bid them farewell, and was off. Afterwards Harry and Ron decided to go to the lake and discuss this.

As they sat by the lake, a very strange and odd thing happened. The Giant Squid stuck a tentacle out and grabbed Ron by the throat. Ron nearly screamed in horror, but luckily, Hermione was on her way out to the lake to tell Harry that Prof. Flitwick was feeling cross by his lame excuse for skipping Charms. She pulled out her wand, muttered a spell that probably no body really knew, and the squid squealed and fell down into his lake. 

Ron sat, lying rather, and rubbing his neck. He muttered a "thanks Herm.." and collapsed, apparently out cold. Hermione beamed, as she does when anyone shows their approval towards her, and sat down next to Harry.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Harry asked, making casual converstion. Ron had awoken and was leaning on his elbows looking to the sky, although he did keep stealing glances at Hermione.

"In class. Hey, Harry, Flitwick was really angered about your _excuse_. He says if he saw you do it again, you would be given a detention. Professor Flitwick was quite nice to Harry most of the time, so this was very unusal.

"Ofcourse," Hermione added. "he was standing by that new teacher. Darinsta, is it? She seems to lay a strange occurrence while near any men, don't you think?" She looked to Ron, one eye closed because of the sun shining at her, which did make Ron look like an angel.

"D--Darinsta? She's evil! McG-" All of the sudden, Hagrid practically fell into the lake. They hadn't noticed he was there, but he was wrestling a Hippogriff. He had, apparently, been flying it until it decided to take a very steep dive. 

"Hello, there, 'arry. Hermione, do yeh got a tell for me ter' rustle up Ol' Chestnut here?" He seemed very annoyed, and would never usually perform a spell on a creature. 

"Hagrid! Good seeing you! Why yes, I do!" Hermione pulled out her wand, mumbled something that sounded like "togetherinfornee," but Harry wasn't very sure. Suddenly, Chestnut sat straight up, waddled over to the fenced area near Hagrid's cabin, hopped in, and calmly ate some oats.

"Thank yer! I been trying ter get him there fer a whole week! Odd, he is." Hagrid sat down, his gigantic mass of hair dripping with sweat.

"That's Chestnut? He's so much..bigger than before! Wilder too, he is." Ron was staring at Chestnut with a puzzled look on his face.

"Yessir! That there's a fine Hippogriff! Or he was fine 'till that new teacher appeared. Any of yer teachers said anything bout her?" It was odd, but it did seem like Hagrid's English had improved slightly! 

"Actually, Prof. McGonagall was sayi-" Harry was yet again cut off, this time not be Ron, but by the actual Acandra Darinsta and Severus Snape.

"Why look! It's the Famous Two, skipping class. I believe this is...15 points from Gryffindor!" Harry seemed it was unfair for Snape to take points away, it wasn't even the year yet! No body had thought of this earlier at the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, where Darinsta took points from them.

"Dear Severus, do not be so hard on the boys. They're only maturing teenagers, what have they ever done to you?" This, of course, was a bad thing for Darinsta to say. Snape seemed to boil with anger, his face went stern, and Harry saw him going for his wand. As Snape pulled it out, he aimed it at Harry and Ron. They stood, quite still in fact, both wishing they had a wand, yet knowing Hermione did. Off to the west of the lake Hermione and Hagrid were poised, and Hagrid's big black eyes, not nearly as cold and empty as Snape's, were on Darinsta. 

"What have they done to me?! They've caused me so much trouble, I could kill them here on the spot!" He was so angry, he was shaking. Darinsta made a move towards him, put her hands on his arm, and he slowly lowered his wand. Harry noticed, before anyone else did, that that was the arm on which the Dark Mark was. 

"And yer better stay away!" Hagrid called, after they had left. He looked angry, but as Darinsta turned to look back, it seemed as if Hagrid, Harry, and Ron all were mesmerized by her gaze. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Honestly! What is the world coming to.." She got up, and walked towards the Quidditch Field. Harry and Ron stood up and followed her. Hagrid was staggering as if he had too much to drink earlier. Of course, he hadn't been drinking, it was just Darinsta's mesmerizing gaze that entrapped men in a strange stupor. 

When all four of them got to the Quidditch Field, the classes had already changed and Quidditch players were running out, mounting their brooms and taking off. Hermione used the summoning charm to acquire Harry's broom, and off he went to play the game. Ron and Hermione sat in the stands, watching everyone play.

For their own astonishment, all of the professors had came out to watch everyone play Quidditch. Nearly everyone was outside either watching or playing the game, so only one professor had stayed in the castle. That was, apparently, Proffessor Binns, the History of Magic teacher, who was actually a ghost. 

Professors Darinsta, Snape, Dumbldore, Flitwick, McGonagall and ever other were all sitting in the bottom most stands and pointing to players. As nobody but Hermione noticed, all the male teachers were adjacent to Prof. Darinsta.


	5. Techniques to Bamboozle your Acquaintenc...

****

Chapter Five

Hermione stared down at all the teachers as they stood gazing at Professor Darinsta. It must be the Veela part, she thought. Harry was up flying, and as he looked down he began to wonder how she got her hair so beautiful, and yet, so dark and mysterious. As of thinking this, he nearly ran into the stands. 

Ron was glancing at Hermione, and every time she looked to him he acted as if he was watching the players just behind her shoulder. He did indeed like her; he just couldn't find the courage to tell anyone. 

"Ron!" Hermione was shaking him and he sat up in a fast movement. He shook his head and looked around. He was on the stands, the practice still in play, but there were many people hovering around him. 

"Wh-What happened?" He asked, dazed by all the people who were in the least bit concerned about him. Harry, Hermione, and other people were in the crowd, muttering things like "get him some water!"

"The snitch..It hit you in the head! It was hilarious! You were in a baffled trance and then it hit you and you fell.." Harry was laughing so hard he fell down and began crying because of the 'hilarious' inncident. Malfoy was laughing quite uncontrollably in the nearby stands, and, for once, was not inclined to throw an insult at all to anyone in particular.

Hermione was the only one who thought it wasn't quite funny, poor Ron, his head getting hit by a snitch at a very high velocity. He stood up, a giant red gash directly in the center of his forehead, and Hermione helped him limp down the stands, across the humongous green patch of grass leading the way to Hogwarts.

As they entered the castle, a strong wind blew up from behind them. A coldness seeped deep into their souls and they stopped in the utmost horror. Ron knew what it was, for Darinsta had appeared beside them. Hermione felt a sense of terror she had never came upon spread through her usually calm body. Darinsta looked both of them hard in the face with a stare that was rather shocking. She had narrowed her eyes into slits that were wavy, in fact, that looked quite like a snake. Before she could say anything, Hermione and Ron screamed and ran to the nurse's wing of the castle, to indeed see Madam Pomfrey in her chair with a somewhat aghast look upon her countenance. 

"Now really, what is the problem? Dear boy!" at this she turned to Ron. "What has happened to your face? Rather shocking, that is! Now, now, come here, I will have that healed within a minute!" She ushered forward and applied some sort of ointment, and at the end, Ron looked as good as ever. 

Ron and Hermione decided to take a gander to the Gryffindor Common Room. As they entered it, they both plopped down onto separate armchairs near the sparkling fire which was throwing flames out at them.

Crookshanks, Hermione's ginger cat, had wandered down the stairs. Hermione smiled and stood up to greet her cat, as Ron rolled his eyes. Suddenly, however, Crookshanks took a turn for the worse. He lost his footing, and slipped down the stairs. There was a horrible *clunk* and he fell to the floor. Hermione let out a silent scream and bent down to him.

"Ron! Go fetch Madam Pomfrey! He's hurt..! Poor Crookshanks! Hurry Ron!" Hermione uttered, her voice in tatters, as Ron stood up and tripped to the door, ran out and started towards the nurse's wing.

Madam Pomfrey arrived with her animal medical kit, and kneeled beside Crookshanks as a muggle veterinarian would do. She performed what Hermione suspected was CPR and Crookshanks suddenly jerked. Madam Pomfrey sat back a foot, and miraculously he jumped to life and tackled Ron. 

"Ooh Goodie! He's okay!" Hermione screamed and ran and hugged Crookshanks, who was on Ron, which ended up with Hermione hugging Ron. Madam Pomfrey slowly scooted out of the common room, and Crookshanks wandered back up the spiral staircase to the girls' dormitory.

Ron and Hermione, however, acted as if they were still there. They suddenly realized they were both still hugging for no apparent reason, and separated from eachother. They stood up, and in mutual agreement, decided that was the worst possible thing to ever do. Hermione let out a childish scream and ran away screaming "Eww! I got Weasley Cooties!"

While doing that insane act of child immaturity, Hermione ran into Professor ( if he could be considered one ) Snape. Hermione practically bounced off of her, yet she stayed standing. 

"How dare you! Granger, stand up! Immediately." Snape said in his cold voice, but soon to be dreared out by the many voices of students coming down the hall. They were screaming, apparently, "joy to the king of quidditch" and holding Harry up above them. The Slytherins followed far behind, scowling at the joyous faces of everyone.

Snape slowly scooted off to the side of the hallway, with Darinsta close behind him just as Dumbledore walked in. He had upon his face, a quite disapproving look and motioned to McGonagall to move to his chamber.

A loud *clunk* could be heard from the hallway, and Harry had been set down and had now dropped his broom. Cho had walked in, again hand in hand with Alexander. Harry slowly stepped behind a suit of armor and hid himself. Hermione, however, felt inclined to actually meet who she thought was the love of her life. 

Without hesitation, she stepped out in front of them and acted as if she had dropped her books. Cho and Alexander stopped and looked at each other.

"Oh dear, I've dropped my books again!" Hermione said, and glanced up to Harry as Cho and Alexander were 'looking into each other's eyes'. Harry looked at Hermione and grinned, and decided to walk out to.

"Hermione, do you need help?" Harry said, coming up behind Cho. She jumped and squeeze Alexander's hand tighter, which made him wince. Harry bent down and helped Hermione pick up her books. 

"Hermione, act like I'm flirting with you!" Harry whispered into her ear, and she suddenly giggled, adding effect to the situation and nudged him.

"Harry, not in front of them--!" She said, and they walked back to Gryffindor Common Room, leaving Cho and Alexander in a state of confusion. 


	6. Hidden Beauties

****

Chapter Six

Harry and Hermione burst into the Gryffindor Common Room laughing uncontrollably. No doubt the other students there were rather puzzled by their entrance. Ron gave them a quizzical look and then shrugged.

They went and sat by Ron, who was still thoroughly baffled. He continued to do what he was doing, which was working on a report he had to do. 

"3 pages of parchment! That's..like..3 whole feet. I only have..2? Hermione, could you--" Ron was complaining, yet again, about his homework. Hermione put up her hands and sighed.

"No. Ron, do your own homework!" Hermione said, and then decided to re-read, for the 8th time, _Hogwarts, a History_. 

Suddenly, a magical voice appeared throughout the castle. It was Prof. McGonagall, she always made the announcements over the..magical speaker.

"Attention everyone. Since the summer program is already half over, you will be able to go to Hogsmeade soon. Plus, the official summer tournament for the Quidditch players will be on Sunday. Have a good day, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR HOMEWORK MUST BE EXACTLY 3 FEET LONG! Goodbye." Her voice stopped echoing, and groans came from Ron, but yells of joy came from everyone else.

"Hogsmeade! I can catch up on my Dung Bombs.." Dean and Seamus began secretly planning attacks in the corner, for it seems they have decided to take up on Fred and George Weasley's prank jokes.

"Ugh..Do we need a permission slip or anything? Or are we all going..?" Harry questioned, and Hermione shrugged. _A great deal of help she is_, Harry thought. He decided to go to bed, so he sluggishly walked up the spiral staircase to the boys' dormitory. Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Harry were the only ones there. Neville would be, except he wrote an owl to Harry explaining how he didn't want to have anything to do with any extra schoolwork, if it meant seeing Snape for any time longer than needed. 

"Ron, didn't Ginny come to the summer program?" Hermione asked, not wanting to be in the same room as Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, for they giggled too much.

"Yes, she did come, but she told me she wanted to 'remain secret.' She's hiding out somewhere.." He continued to work on his Transfiguration homework, which were directions on how to change a cat to a footstool. 

"I'm here Hermione!" Said a quiet voice in the dark corner. All three jumped and looked around. Out of the corner walked Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, who also had blazing red hair. Dean and Seamus looked up from what they were doing, and so did Colin Creevey, for she said that in a high voice as if she hadn't spoken in a week. 

"Ginny! Where have you been? We haven't seen you in a..." Harry began, but suddenly stopped as he looked at her arm. It wasn't there, _or perhaps it was just invisible_, thought Harry. He jumped up all the stairs ( Ron, Hermione, and Harry were all standing on them ) and ran to his trunk. He opened it and searched for his Invisibility Cloak he had gotten from Dumbledore in his first year. It was missing.

"GINNY!" He screamed and practically ran into her on his way down the stairs. She was hiding behind Ron, who was grinning with a bit of humor on his face.

"I..I didn't mean to take it, Harry! I just knew you had it because Ron told me and--" Ginny tried explaining herself, but Harry disrupted her and turned to Ron.

"RON YOU TOLD HER?!" Harry looked around, and dragged Ron and Ginny up to the boys' dormitory, with Hermione in close pursuit. The whole Gryffindor Common Room had been listening, and if they heard that Harry owned an Invisibility Cloak, a rumor might spread.

"Ron, you told Ginny? Did you tell anyone else? That is so rude, I trusted you!" Harry looked at Ron, his green eyes roaring with a blaze nobody had seen in him before.

"I only told her, and she swore not to tell you I told her! And anyways, how would I have known she would go and steal it?!" He said, starting to get cross. 

"I didn't steal it, I was borrowing it! Of course I would return it!" Ginny said, herself turning red because of her own temper.

She turned around and went down to the Common Room and sat on a big fluffy chair near the fire, empty probably because there were no tables or desks near them, so nobody could possibly do their homework while sitting in them.

Dean and Seamus were staring at her, their eyes with a look of utmost admiration. Colin Creevey acted as if he was quite smitten with her, and she sat next to all of them, not noticing the way they were staring at her. Ron noticed it was fairly odd, along with Hermione and Harry. 

Later, they all went to bed, all dreaming about going to Hogsmeade the next day. Everybody was planning on going, and Harry was actually going to go to Hogsmeade the natural way, instead of using the Marauders Map and the secret tunnel.

( Author's Note: HEEY! Sorry it's so short! x.X! I'll write some later..o.o; I'm all tired..and stuff..Hi Brandon! ^.^!! More chapters to come, REVIEW! )


	7. Astonishing Information

****

Chapter Seven

Harry awoke in a rather good mood on Saturday. Today he was going to Hogsmeade the normal way for the first time. He got dressed quickly, and hurried down to the Common Room. People were already convened there and were in the paramount ecstatic frame of mind as well.

"Hey Harry, what took you so long? We've been up for at least an hour!" Hermione greeted him, and then motioned to Ron and Ginny. Ginny no longer was in hiding, and she felt quite bad about the Invisibility Cloak situation. 

"Harry, look, I'm real sorry. I didn't mean to take it, honestly! Do you forgive me?" Ginny was looking at him with her eyes up in waiting and her smile was jovial.

"Yeah, just don't take any of my stuff anymore, you got it?" He said, and then playfully nudged her. 

Ron quirked a brow towards Hermione, who in exchange, smiled back. Dean and Seamus were, yet again, in the corner discussing things and Colin was discussing things with his other friends, stealing glances at Ginny. It seemed she had quite a few admirers this year.

Prof. McGonagall entered the Common Room to greet the students and took them all outside. They walked to Hogsmeade and Harry entered it, feeling the emotions of being in there without trying to conceal him.

He first walked into Zonko's and bought all sorts of prank jokes and so on. After a while of walking around and examining the shops, Harry, Hermione, and Ron all went to The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. 

Hagrid was in there and waved his gigantic arm for them to come over to him. Ron and Harry sat on one side of the table, leaving Hermione to sit next to the bulk of Hagrid. She looked at them with narrow eyes and then tried to sit next to Hagrid. His incredible immensity left her only 5 inches to sit down. This was probably for his humongous furry coat, which took up at least one-fourth his size. 

"Err..Hagrid? Would you mind taking off your coat, it's quite..small over here." Hermione tried to ask him politely, but it came out with a bit of rudeness in her tone. She smiled at him quickly, in which he returned, pulled off his coat, and threw it at Ron and Harry.

"Agh! What is in this thing?" Ron yelled, drawing the attention of all the people visiting the Three Broomsticks. He blushed vigorously, and then slouched down a little in his seat. Harry was laughing uncontrollably, Hermione was giggling, and Hagrid was actually coughing, which sounded like laughing, until he spit up a piece of what he was eating.

"Eww! Hagrid that's gross!" Hermione squealed, for the food had landed in her butterbeer. She didn't take a swallow of it for the rest of the time there. 

Harry wasn't paying attention to them, he was looking out the window at a big black dog near the window. Hermione looked to the dog, and gasped, and then her and Harry ran out there. Ron was too tired to move, and Hagrid thought it was just a lost animal.

"Harry! Is that..?" Hermione questioned, and Harry nodded his head and then grabbed the collar of the dog, which was actually Sirius Black, his Godfather.

They walked to a secluded area where nobody really was, behind a haystack, and began talking.

"Harry! Would you let go of me that hurt!" Sirius said, after he had returned to his human form. He was wearing a goldish-brown robe like the hay, so he looked camouflaged. Hermione couldn't help but stare at him. He was changed from what he looked like before. His usual skeleton figure was gone, and replaced with a muscular man who was not quite old. His eyes shone with a light that they had never seen before, a jolly dancing light, and he was smiling. He grew about 3 inches, so he was taller. He was smiling at them, and it made Hermione feel as if she was drinking a whole pitcher of butterbeer. 

"Hello, Harry, Hermione. I ventured up here for a visit, it got quite boring in...Well where I was." Sirius didn't want to confirm his location, incase someone was listening. 

"Where..Where's Buckbeak?" Hermione managed to mutter, being rather shy to talking to Sirius than the last time, for he looked quite..stunning. 

"Buckbeak? Oh, he's over by the tree. Probably grazing in the grass, like muggle animals do." He was smiling fervently, as if he was indeed very exultant to be seeing someone. 

"Harry, I must tell you something. This may, and probably will, come as a shock to you. I doubt Dumbledore never really would have told you. Please, Harry, do not be mad at me for hiding this from you for the 15 years you have been born." Sirius was serious now, his smile now in a straight line across his face.

"What is it, Sirius? It can't be very bad!" Harry smiled, trying to raise the manner of the situation. Sirius was looking a bit uncomfortable, looking down at the ground, but he looked up to Harry and stared him straight in the face.

"Harry, I have a son." At this news, Harry nearly fell back and tripped over a haystack, and Hermione almost fell over too, until Sirius caught her, in which made her blush.

"He's going to Hogwarts this year, and you might have seen him already, he signed up for the summer program too." Sirius was still talking, propping up Hermione, who was acting as if she was still in a fainting-mood, thinking-_Maybe if I act like I might still faint, he'll still hold me_! Of course she knew this was wrong, so she stood up and thanked him for catching her.

"Sirius, stay here for a while will you? We got to go act like we're doing something, if we're missing for too long it will look suspicious!" Harry motioned for Hermione to follow him, in which she reluctantly did.

"Sure, Harry, Hermione. See you two later." He transformed back into his animagi form, and walked around the haystacks.

Harry caught sight of Cho and Alexander, but _they_ weren't in jovial mood. They seemed as if they were fighting!

"Alex, why would you say that? Crabbe told me what you said! Don't lie to me!" Cho was angry with him, and by the looks on Alex and Crabbe's faces, Crabbe had lied to Cho about something Alex did not say, in order to get Cho to break up with Alex, and go with Crabbe. Evil stunt, Hermione thought.

"I..Cho! I didn't say that! He's lying! You'd believe him over me?" This is the first time they had really listened to Alex's voice, and it too left Hermione's heart a-flutter. _Today is the most romantic day, I daresay! _Hermione thought. 

"Yes, I've known him longer! I just met you only 3 weeks ago, Alex!" At this, Cho walked into the Three Broomsticks, the door slamming behind her. Crabbe followed, and slammed the door too. Alex stood there, his smile no longer, and sat down on a haystack. ( Haystacks are all around Hogsmeade, making it look like a muggle farm to passersby. ) 

Ron and Hagrid emerged from the Three Broomsticks, and walked towards the exit of Hogsmeade, Ron calling behind him "Harry, Hermione! Hagrid is going to teach me how to defend myself when Malfoy comes around, I'll see you later!" And off he went.

Harry and Hermione walked to Alex, deciding to make friends while they had a chance. He was covering his face with his hands, and was in a state of disaster.

"Having problems?" Hermione asked, making him jump and then look up at her. He smiled at her, and then looked to Harry.

"I daresay, are you the Harry Potter? Nice to meet you, indeed." He didn't gape at Harry's scar, or ask him anything of the sort. He simply noted who he was, and then returned to a natural conversation.

"Do you know Cho Chang? She seems angry with me, and I do believe she trusts that Crabbe fellow more than me." He said in a depressed voice, and sighed. 

"Yes, we know her. Crabbe is a horrible person, in Slytherin, and used to be friends with Malfoy.." Harry said, also sitting down in a depressed mood. Hermione shrugged and decided to sit next to Alex on his left side, and acted as if she was depressed too. Harry and Alex both looked at her with the same grins on their faces, and all three laughed.

"What house are you in, Alex?" Hermione asked, a bit curious, and hoping they weren't making friends with a Slytherin.

"Why, I'm in Gryffindor! I suppose, aren't you both in Gryffindor? And your friend Ron?" Harry and Hermione nodded enthusiastically. 

"How did you know about Ron? He's not too popular, I believe." Hermione was making great conversation with him!

"Oh, my father told me about him. His family is poor, correct? Great wizarding families are never perfect, I always say."

"So, you are in fact in Gryffindor? I hadn't seen you there. Or perhaps you're like Ginny and hiding behind an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry asked, adding a friendly chuckle.

"Oh, I've been there. Always come in late, I do. Are you both also 5th years?" They all seemed to get along in such a good way, that when Ron returned, he was surprised.

"Oh, hello Ron! This is Alex, he's a 5th year in Gryffindor too!" Hermione introduced him, and Ron eyed Harry, knowing that Alexander was formally with Cho, Harry's first love.

"Glad to meet you, indeed, Ron!" Alex shook hands vigorously, and then jumped to the subject of Quidditch.

"So, are you all on the Quidditch Team? I hear Gryffindor won the cup 2 years ago!" He asked, looking to them all. 

"Well, I'm the Seeker, Hermione isn't on the team, and Ron is the new Keeper." Harry explained, and suddenly realized something.

"Oh no! Hermione, come quick!" Harry led her off to an area near the tree, with left Ron and Alex to get better acquainted.

"What?" Hermione asked, rather sad that she had to leave the great conversation they were having.

"Hermione! Remember before, when you acted like you dropped your books, and then we together acted like we were flirting? He'll believe we were together!" Harry said, in one major big breath.

"Oh no! Harry, we must have a fake fight! Not that we would if we really were together, but just so he doesn't feel uncomfortable or anything.." Hermione said, and they both decided to do it some other time than now. 

They realized Sirius, as a dog, was motioning over to them. They walked over, and he quickly turned back into a human.

"You two should realize something.." He began, but Alex starting walking over, and Sirius ran away while in the formation of becoming a dog.

"Hermione, I must know your last name! If only to know my new friends' first names would be quite unbearable to me!" He said, looking to her.

"What? Oh! I'm Hermione Granger! What is _your _last name, Alex?" Hermione said, and began giggling not noticing she had introduced herself correctly at the beginning. 

"Why, my last name happens to be Black. Alexander Black, nice to meet you!" Alex said, and finally with this information, Harry had a sharp intake of breath and Hermione fell back, only again to be caught by another Black.

(A/N: This is my favorite chapter so far! ITS THE BESTEST! ^.^!! Tell ME HOW IT IS!! Hilo Brandon xD )


	8. Old Enemies

****

Chapter Eight

"Are you serious? Your last name is Black? What's your Dad's name, Alex?" Harry was remaining calm, although inside he felt as if he was going to burst. 

"Why, It's Sirius. The famous convict who is on the run, Sirius Black. Boy, do I miss him. We write letters and correspond, but I haven't seen him for ages." Alex was still holding Hermione as he said this, for she nearly fainted. She fell down and Alex caught her by the back, and as he said this, it seemed she came to and stood up on her own.

"Thank you for catching me, I'm quite fine now.." Hermione said and adjusted her hair. She looked around for Sirius but couldn't see him. 

"Hey, what are you guys all talking 'bout?" Ron had come over and was looking at them questionably. 

"They seemed very odd by my telling them my last name is Black, I daresay do you all know my father?" Alex had yet again sat on a haystack and was looking at them all with eyes of curiosity. 

"Err, Well--" Harry began, but was for once glad to see Snape. He had walked to them and looking at Alex.

"You, with the golden brown hair, follow me. Now." He said in a curt voice and pointed at Alex. Alex looked at Hermione for help, but she just shrugged.

He stood up and walked to where Snape stood, and he walked away towards the castle, throwing glances back towards Harry, although Hermione thought he was looking at her.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron decided to sneak up behind Snape and Alex. Ron had the great idea to go and fetch Harry's invisibility cloak, so he went off towards Gryffindor Tower the minute they reached the doors to Hogwarts.

Harry and Hermione slowly but swiftly followed behind Snape and Alex. Ron caught up to them within 5 minutes, and they all hid under the cloak. Snape led Alex up many winding staircases until they reached a familiar room. It was Dumbledore's office, and Harry had been here before. Snape said the password, which this year seemed to be "gumdrops" and slipped into the room, Alex hesitantly following behind. Harry, Hermione, and Ron slid in before the door shut, and stood on a side of the room obscured by the cloak. 

"Harry, what has Snape got to do with Alex?" Ron asked, still confused by the situation. They hadn't told him that Alex was Sirius' son yet, so he didn't know.

"Alex Black is his name, Sirius' son, and be quiet Ron, we're trying to listen!" Hermione screeched in a quiet voice and pointed to the desk where Dumbledore was sitting and Snape and Alex were standing. From this point on, they didn't say a word.

"Ah, thank you Severus. Alex, you may have a seat. As you may know, Alex, you are in a great deal of danger, young man." Dumbledore said quietly, looking at him with trepidation. 

"What ever do you mean, Sir?" Alex politely asked, not at all letting the worry come out in his voice.

"Your father is on very bad standards with the Dark Lord, as you know, and as Lord Voldemort is on his reign, he will be coming after you and Harry Potter." At this Harry gasped and remembered that Dumbledore could see through invisibility cloaks. Dumbledore looked over to the side of the room they were in and winked, reassuring Harry that he was in no trouble.

"Oh dear, if only I knew where my father was, he could possibly protect me!" Alex said, his sense of worry flying out along with his voice, making him sound scared and uncertain of what to do.

"No, no, Alex. That would be the worst thing to happen at this time. For if he knew both of you were together, he could kill you two at the same time. Severus, would you please be kind enough to leave us alone for a few minutes? I will talk to you soon. Thank you." Dumbledore said as Snape bowed and walked out of the circular room.

"Now, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Granger, and Mr. Weasley, will you please unmask yourselves from the side of the room?" Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

Harry pulled the cloak off, and to Alex's astonishment, appeared in the room. Alex looked quite pleased by Hermione's entrance and smiled at her.

"We're extremely sorry we followed sir, but we were very curious!" Hermione covered for them, making Dumbledore smile even more.

"Oh dear, no need to apologize. All four of you are in danger, and I suggest, Harry, Ron, that you do not participate in the upcoming Quidditch Game. Oh please, do not get upset!" Dumbledore said as Harry stood up in rage and started to say something.

"But, sir! I need to play in that game, if Slytherin beats Gryffindor, Malfoy won't stop teasing me for years!" Harry began, but Dumbledore held up his hand.

"I believe my decision is final. Do not question my authority, and do not play in the Quidditch Play-off on Sunday. Do you understand me? Trust me; it is for your own safety." He said in his usual calm voice.

"Sir, not to be rude, but why did you call me up here?" Alex began, looking tired and worn with his eyes droopy and his smile gone. 

"Oh yes, Alex, I believe this is your father." Dumbledore motioned to a shaggy black dog behind his desk that no one had noticed yet. Sirius transformed into the actual human, and ran and hugged Alex.

"Son! It's so great to see you, how have you been?" You could tell by the way they began talking immediately that they were very close father and son. 

"Great Dad, I'm so happy you signed me up for Hogwarts, I already made 3 new friends! Do you know them?" Alex began, not knowing that Sirius was Harry's Dad's best friend. 

"Er, Alex, I must go. I'm terribly sorry, son. Please, do not get into as much trouble as you did before..." Sirius said, his voice filled with sorrow.

"Sure..Dad..Bye!" They embraced, and Hermione was nearly about to faint yet again for she believed she saw tears in both their eyes.

"Well now, none of that. You four may return to the Gryffindor Common Room." Dumbledore ended the session and motioned for them to exit. Harry caught a slight glimpse of Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix. He was quivering his wings, sparkles of dust flying everywhere.

"This is no fair! Who will be the replacement seeker? We're going to lose!" Ron was overreacting about the Quidditch thing, but Harry knew Dumbledore never lies.

"Ron, he said it was for my own safety. It must be for a good reason! Dumbledore would never put me in harm's way or lie to me, you know that." Harry tried to calm Ron down, but it didn't work. When they reached the Common Room, Ron stomped off to his four poster bed in the dormitory, as Hermione, Harry, and Alex all sat down in the, now three, chairs by the fire. Apparently, McGonagall had put another there because of all the complaints of nobody ever getting the puffy chairs. 

All three took a seat in the chairs, Hermione in the center one. Soon, Crookshanks had appeared and jumped on her lap, and Alex's pet cat also bound into his lap. Everyone had a laugh out of this, for they did it nearly at the same time.

"This is Twifflo. Yes, I do know it is an odd name, but it was my mother's pet name for me. Even if Twifflo is a girl anyways. I miss her dearly.." Alex said and heaved a giant sigh. 

"She must have been a wonderful woman, Alex." Hermione asked, trying to console him. He looked to the fire and just watched it for quite some time. 

"She was wonderful. Voldemort killed her when I was three, however. I remember her smile, her wonderful fragrance. He had killed her secretly, and it had never reached the media. This increased my father's aversion towards him also." He sighed again, and his face became somber. 

"I'm sorr--" Harry was cut off by a noise outside. He felt his scar hurt, but he only winced, and didn't show any sign. A blast of green light shone outside the Common Room door before a cold voice had said "avada kedavra" and you could hear screams from the students and teachers walking along the corridor. 

Suddenly, Twifflo and Crookshanks both screeched and jumped from Hermione and Alex's laps. They ran to the door and began clawing at it. Harry screamed in pain as his scar began to suddenly throb, and he seized his forehead as he began to fade away, and as he heard Hermione's screams and Alex's yells. 

( A/N: Chapter 8~Ooh..^.^ PLEASE R/R!! THANK YOOS!! ^.^!! )


	9. Fast-Paced Terror

****

Chapter Nine

Harry awoke in Madam Pomfrey's office for the second time. He sat up, but fell right back down to the bed because of the horrid pain of his scar. He looked to the beds next to him, and saw the most unexpected thing. 

Cho Chang was lying on the bed, with no sign of life in her body. Harry's heart filled with sorrow, as he saw Alex crouched over at her side sobbing. Hermione and Ron, too, were silently crying at the side of the second bed next to Harry, and he nearly collapsed with sorrow as he saw Ginny Weasley on that bed, looking quite a bit the same as Cho did.

"Harry..!" Alex uttered, his voice rasp from weeping. At this, Hermione and Ron slowly lifted their heads up, and Madam Pomfrey slowly walked into the room.

"Harry, dear, lie down. You need your rest.." Her eyes were droopy and she looked to a figure sitting in the dark of the room, which Harry did not notice before. It was Dumbledore, his eyes alert, yet comforting.

"Harry, do you remember what happened?" He said, and it seemed everybody's voice was hoarse. Hermione was looking at her dear friends in the three beds, and dug her head in her arms and began to shed tears.

"There was a blast, just outside the Common Room. Do you remember the blast, Harry?" Dumbledore said, his voice seeming as if it was coming from a completely different man.

"A blast? I..I remember a flash of green light, and a bang, and then..I passed out." Harry said, lying back down on the bed, feeling tired from talking, which made Madam Pomfrey come over and fluff his pillows to his own comfort.

"The flash was the Killing Curse. Performed by a student himself, Draco Malfoy." Dumbledore began, and walked to Hermione's side, and laid a hand on her shoulder to console her sniveling. Harry stare at the ceiling in utter terror, as the shape of Dumbledore came over his head and into his vision.

"The killing curse was aimed at Ginny, and for some very strange reason bounced off of her onto Cho, who was walking along side her in the corridor. Malfoy is in custody by Hagrid and Fudge in the dungeons. The sternest officials from the Ministry of Magic are guarding him, he will no longer harm you. Ginny and Cho were not killed, for he did not perform the spell correctly, thank the heavens." Dumbledore motioned for Madam Pomfrey to pull up a chair and he sat down, glancing at Ron, Hermione, and Alex, who were now standing solemnly looking at Harry. Harry felt his heart jump a bit, for Ron and Alex were holding each of Hermione's hands, trying to console her.

"Headmaster, sir, not to interrupt, but he needs his sleep." Madam Pomfrey said, her voice not full of its usually busy manner. 

"Yes, I will leave. You all must get sleep, all of your faces look incredibly distressed." At this, Madam Pomfrey gave them all some sort of potion that made them instantly fall asleep.

***

Harry awoke several hours later, and sat up in his bed. He looked to his left, and saw Cho in the same position as last night. His heart filled with sadness as he looked at her smile, which was actually a frown of horror.

He looked to his right and saw Ginny, her face with an air of unexpectedness. Her flaring red hair seemed dismal on this rainy day, and Harry realized it was raining outside. He looked around and noticed he was still in his robes the day of the blast, yet Alex, Ron, and Hermione had left.

"Harry, you may go back to your studies if you'd like. Although, I believe all three of your friends are in the common room." Madam Pomfrey allowed him to go, and as he walked out of the nurse's wing, and near the Gryffindor Common Room, he saw people of every house wearing ribbons of either scarlet or yellow or even both upon their robes; hoping for the return of Ginny and Cho, who were in deadly comas. 

Harry entered the Common Room to see the three downy chairs occupied by his friends. They were all staring at the fireplace, which, upon its mantelpiece was a mounted picture of Ginny Weasley, as a memorial. 

"What day is it, guys?" Harry asked, scaring them all slightly for they had not known he was there. Hermione jumped up and hugged him, soon followed by Ron and Alex, who all gave a tight bear hug to each other in consolation. 

"It's been a whole week since the blast, Harry. You were in a little coma after you fell asleep, we were worried you wouldn't wake up, but Madam Pomfrey assured us that you would." Ron answered, as they all went back to their chairs and Harry pulled up another of the not-so-soft-chairs from the back. 

"A week? Are Ginny and Cho okay..?" Harry hesitantly asked, looking to Alex and Ron.

"Nobody knows. They haven't woke up. Apparently, they were discussing the upcoming Quidditch tournament, which was yesterday." Hermione answered for them; Ron and Alex had remained silent.

"Who won..?" Harry asked, trying his best to change the subject for the sake of his friends.

"Gryffindor, by a slight goal. Nobody had it in them, Harry. Colin was the Seeker, and he caught it after they were both tied. There were no cheers, no groans. Everybody was solemn. There was a service for Ginny, Cho, and you. Nobody believed you would wake up, Harry, and now that you have, it brings hope to us that it's possible for Ginny and Cho to wake up too.. " Alex replied, tears streaming down his face.

Ron slowly walked up to the girls' dormitory, his eyes not blinking out his tears, and he went and sat on Ginny's bed, which was chock-full of flowers and cards. 

Harry stood up and walked out of the common room, ignoring the looks of Alex and Hermione. He walked to Dumbledore's office, and said the password he had heard Snape utter just a week before. He entered the office, seeing Dumbledore at his desk, not at all surprised to see Harry there.

"Good day, Harry. I'm glad to see you've awaken." He said, and smiled a weak smile.

"Can I talk to Malfoy, sir?" Harry asked, and looked at Dumbledore's unusual stunned face with his eyes in a questioning form.

"But why, Harry? He may upset you; he has nearly killed two of your dearest friends. All the same, follow me." Dumbledore replied, and, nonetheless, stood up and escorted Harry to the door of the spherical room. 

He led Harry down to the dungeons, all the way parting through crowds of people. Harry experienced, yet again, whispers behind where he walked. This time, not of shock, and not of hatred, but of sorrow, and hope.

Harry found himself at the dungeons, which were being guarded by two muscular wizard guards and Severus Snape. Snape had an odd look upon his face, and he did not sneer at Harry in any way. He simply stood back and gestured for Harry to walk down the dungeon steps to what seemed to be a wizarding cell. It had bars of a magical substance that seemed if you touched it, they would send back a charge of fire. Sitting on a bed inside the chamber, was none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Oh damn, Potter lives again. The famous Potter lives!" Malfoy taunted, his voice cackling with laughter. This only grew Harry's reason to hate him ever so much.

"Why in the world would you do that to two 14 and 16 year old girls? What's the matter with you, you stupid freak? Do you enjoy the killing, or the screaming?" Harry said, disgust in his voice. No teachers or guards stopped him, they allowed him to do whatever he liked to Malfoy.

"I've always hated every Weasley, and that Chang girl was beating Slytherin in Quidditch!" Malfoy replied, his sneer growing bigger every moment he talked.

"That's no reason to harm anyone, you selfish fool!" Suddenly, Snape's voice echoed from the top of the staircase. He was walking down it, and to Harry's surprise, stood beside him in a friendly manner. 

"Harry, you may go back up to console your friends." Snape said, not smiling, but not looking at Harry with a sense of despise either. Harry walked up to the stairs, running into a mob of people looking at him. They were not smiling, for most of them were crying. Slytherins were among the group, Hufflepuffs sobbing in the back, Ravenclaws looking terribly sad, and Gryffindors distressed.

"Harry..Ginny and Cho..They're.." Hermione approached him, and he knew what it was. He walked up to her and hugged her tightly, and decided to walk to the back of the crowd, where a young 5th year was sitting on a bench beside the wall.

"Harry, she's gone. Cho is gone. Forever. Never to see her again. What will I do, Harry, what am I to do? I hate Malfoy. Always have hated that family. " Alex's voice was full of hatred and sorrow.

A strong arm grabbed him and pulled him and Alex out of the crowd and into the empty corridor. It was Hagrid, and his eyes were black and empty from crying.

"Professor..Professor Dumbledore ordered me to bring you ter the nurse's office.." His voice was saddened with grief, and he seemed mighty tired.

He dropped them softly at the beginning of the corridor that leads them to the nurse's closed door, at the end of it. Dumbledore was down there, but he wasn't crying. He wasn't frowning, or didn't look sad at all.

"Alex! Your father has arrived, and he knows a way to save Cho and Ginny! Come quickly, he needs both your help." Dumbledore rushed into the office, as Harry and Alex looked at each other. They shrugged and ran to the office, opened to the door, and saw Hermione, Ron, Sirius, and Dumbledore standing alongside the two beds.

***

"Ron and Alex you must stand in the middle of the two beds, quickly." He ordered them, and they obeyed, barely enough room to stand by each other. 

"On my mark, Ron you touch Ginny's arm, and Alex you touch Cho's. Hermione, you touch Ginny's other arm, and Harry you touch Cho's other arm. I will issue a spell that was only performed once before, by me and me alone. It's the Resuscitating Charm, and it will bring at least one back to life. If completely successful, it will bring back both. That is only if you four do it at the exact same time." Sirius explained, and raised his wand.

"On my mark, when I say the word." He said and looked at each of them with an extremely serious look upon his face and waited for each of them to nod their heads.

"3..2..1..Mark. _RESCUINTORI_!" Sirius yelled, and precisely at the same instant, Harry touched Cho's left arm, Hermione touched Ginny's right arm, Ron touched Ginny's left arm, and Alex toughed Cho's right arm. A blast of white light went from Sirius to Harry, to Cho to Alex, to Ron to Ginny, and finally to Hermione. After bouncing off of Hermione it seemed to fly back into the end of Sirius' wand and he looked at them expectantly. 

They were all quite shaken by the blast, but it was a good feeling. To Harry it felt as if he was seeing his mother again, to Ron it felt as if he was being better than his brothers, to Hermione it felt as if she had found her soul mate, and to Alex it felt as if he had found the best friends a 15 year old could have; and he had.

Suddenly, a gasp for air came from Cho and she coughed and sputtered, to Alex's yells of joy. Ginny screamed and sat upright in her bed, and hugged Ron hysterically.

At this, everyone sat down in an immense bear hug and cried for joy. 

( A/N: What fun! o.o; This chapter came on suddenly, but I didn't feel like killing anyone off, that's not me. So review it if you want, and erm, contact me! roffles. o.o; RawrKittieRawr@cs.com! o.o; Ok, anyways, tell me if you like it )


	10. Gifts

****

Chapter Ten

Harry Potter lay awake at 11:00 P.M. on July 30th. His birthday was tomorrow, in which he would turn 15. He would be at the Dursley's, but he wasn't. His first birthday at Hogwarts.

He looked over to Ron, who was peacefully sleeping. Dean and Seamus, too, were sleeping soundly in their own beds. Harry couldn't sleep, so he decided to go down to the Common Room and see if anyone was still awake.

He saw Alex, who, he realized, didn't really have a bed. Neville's bed was open, but he refused to sleep in anyone else's bed. He was in front of the fire, asleep as well.

_Agh, everyone is sleeping! If only I could possibly fall asleep somehow! _Harry thought, looking around at the empty Common Room. He decided to actually finish his homework, with was really extra credit. If he did finish it, he wouldn't have to do as much homework in his real 5th year at Hogwarts.

He sat in a fluffy chair reading _Hogwarts, A History _until he realized it was 11:58. He would be 15 in 2 minutes. He stared at the clock on the ceiling, for it was a magical clock, and every night would be somewhere else in the room. 

Tick, tick, tick. _The second hand seemed to move so slowly_, he thought. He was suddenly wide-awake as an owl flew into the Common Room from the upstairs dormitory. At once he knew it was Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl. 

A note was attached to it, along with a box wrapped in deep scarlet. Another present had fallen off his leg as he ran into the wall, for he was a weak owl.

The note was from both Hermione and Ron. It was rolled up in spare parchment, and Harry unraveled it. It read:  
_Happy birthday, Harry! Hope you like our presents! We had to send it with the owl, just to make it seem like every other year! But I fear Pig would fall or something, so be careful. Hermione's present is supposed to be there too, do you see it? It's wrapped in gold, and mine is in scarlet. Colorful! Enjoy! I told Pig to give this to you at exactly midnight. Hope he did!_

Hermione and Ron

Harry decided to open Hermione's first, and as he carefully unwrapped the gold colored paper, he didn't see what it was. It fell out, and made a loud bang, at which awoke Alex.

"Ah! Oh Harry, it's you..." He mumbled but fell asleep instantly. Harry shrugged and picked up the object that had fallen on the floor. He stared at it, wordless, until he decided to open it.

It was a box, covered with pictures of broomsticks and snitches. As he opened it, a mini snitch flew out of it. He stared at it in awe, and looked to the note and other object in the box. He looked at the note, and it said:

_Harry! Be careful, it's a charmed snitch. It will fly around you till you make it stop with the special wand! It's included in the package, in the shape of a broomstick. Just point it at it and say "Stopperculus" and it will go back to the box! I know it's a dumb present, but, well I forgot about your birthday, and I had short notice. I'm sorry, do you like it?_

Hermione

Harry smiled, pulled out the broomstick-wand and pointed it at the snitch, or where it was a second ago. He gave up on trying to follow it and just mumbled "stopperculus" and, to his bewilderment, flew back into the box. 

He now turned to Ron's present, which was smaller. He unwrapped it, and out fell a mini sculpture of Harry on his broomstick flying around a dragon, which was trying to burn him. It was a moving sculpture, of course, so he was circling around and around and around, dodging here and there, not following the same path twice. He could stare at it forever, and the characters seemed as if they never tire. 

Ron also included a piece of chocolate at which Harry ate, savoring its flavor. He instantly fell asleep for the remainder of the night.

"Harry! Wake up! You're going to be late, and Prof-" Hermione was shaking him angrily, late for her classes too. Harry fumbled for his glasses, grabbed his books, and ran to the dungeons, Hermione close behind him.

"Ron had left, saying he didn't care. He was in a rather bad mood, I thought.." Hermione trailed off, mumbling words under her breath. Harry paid no attention, however, for he had walked into Snape's Dungeon, and was slowly walking towards his seat. The whole class was staring at them, and Snape's mouth was curling into a greedy smile.

"So, we're late. 10 points from Gryffindor, I do believe..We were just adding dragon scales to a potion that would.." Snape mumbled on about another boring potion, while Harry pulled out his birthday presents. They had sat next to Ron, who was nearly asleep.

Harry looked at Hermione's present, and nudged her in her side. She motioned him to get to work, until he nudged her again.

"What?!" She screeched in a whisper, looking at him with angry eyes. Her cauldron was bubbling a slight blue color mixed with green. She absentmindedly stirred it, as Harry was sloshing his around, even though he knew he didn't do it right. His was yellow and red.

"Hermione, how do you start the snitch..?" He asked, his voice drawing quieter, for Malfoy was looking at him suspiciously. 

"Oh, yeah. Say "gogogoeruni." Yeah, I know it's dumb, but that's what the instructions said..." She trailed off yet again for Snape was examining her cauldron.

"Potter! You didn't add four scales, did you? I specifically said only three! Four scales would make it--" He was cut off, however, by a loud bang and suddenly everybody within 3 meters of Harry was splashed with a yellowy substance.

"Explode." Snape finished his own sentence, his greasy hair full of red/yellow gunk. Hermione was giggling furiously, laughing at Ron. His hair was full of the slime, and he had gotten the red part of it. His hair was now brighter than usual, and the substance dripping from his ears. He was also laughing uncontrollably. 

"Settle down! Now, what Potter has done, is make his potion _explode_. What would have been a perfect substance of.." He began to scratch his face frantically. 

"Argh! Potter! You created an itching potion! What else did you add?!" Snape screamed, and ran out of the dungeons towards Madam Pomfrey. The Gryffindor students were huddled up with laughter, and the Slytherin students were sulking around.

"Perfect time!" Malfoy exclaimed, and stood up, walking towards the secret cabinets of Snape's dungeon. 

"Malfoy, are you crazy? You'll get killed, and lose points!" Pansy Parkinson replied, her squeaky voice making Ron want to strangle her.

"No, I'm just going to look!" He walked in the back, and pulled out a jar with a moving object in some moldy water.

"Ha! What is this?" He mumbled walking around the room, until he stopped at Harry's desk. Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry groaned.

"Oh! Here's the tag.. Why, it's an animal! A mini slug!" He yelled, suddenly opening the jar and throwing it at Hermione. She screamed and Ron threw his potion at Malfoy, which in turn, made Goyle throw his potion at Harry, creating a chain reaction throughout the students.

"What is going on here?!" McGonagall's voice was high and screechy, as she entered the room. Hermione was screaming, for the slug was sticking to her back, and sucking out her blood like a leech. 

"Potter, take Granger down to the nurse's room! Immediately!" She yelled, and Harry dragged Hermione out into the vestibule. As he entered the corridor to the nurse's office, he could still hear McGonagall's yells at Malfoy, for it seems Dean had told her he began the mess.

Snape was sitting on the bed in the nurse's room, covered in red bumps, and scratching ferociously.

"Why aren't you in class?! And what is that infernal racket coming from the dungeons? Potter, if I could I would kick you out of my class.." He mumbled off under his breath, and began scratching again, until Madam Pomfrey entered the room.

"Enough scratching, professor! You'll only make it more itchy! Don't spread a rash! Argh..!" She mumbled, and went into the back area of the room, leaving Snape in a horrible mood, while Hermione shivered at the slug, which was now on her arm. Harry was staring at the wall, until Dumbledore walked in.

"A word, Professor..?" He said, mumbling, his voice filled with what seemed like distress. 


	11. Strange Occurrences

****

Chapter Eleven

Dumbledore had walked in and ushered Snape to follow him. As they left the room, Harry leaped up and ran to the door, undoubtedly, to listen. There at first, was mumbling, but soon their voices grew louder until Harry could hear.

"What? You can't do that!" Snape was yelling in a quiet whisper, and Harry could see his silhouette through the curtains, and he was throwing up his arms in dismay.

"Now, Severus, please stay calm. You do not want to draw the attention of everyone inside, do you? I'm sorry, but I must. It is the only way. He summoned you, you must go back!" Dumbledore's voice was becoming louder also with more worry, but he calmed it immediately. 

"Go back? To him?! I've gave it up, long ago. I came back after you had told me to leave at the end of last school year, I am not going to miss a whole year of school just because of his reign." Snape said, and at this Harry realized they were talking about Lord Voldemort.

"Headmaster, sir, who will replace me? I have taught this school every year since I graduated, I do not want to be replaced. I also do not want to work with Lucius Malfoy. He is rude and ignorant, I wish not to see him ever again." Snape requested, talking in with a quick voice. He was looking around, until his eyes laid upon an object down the hall. Soon, a third person entered the discussion.

"Hello, again, Severus, Albus. Great to see you, old chaps!" The person greeted them calmly, his voice in a joyful manner. He was taller than both of them, which is much to say, noting that Snape was actually very tall.

"You couldn't be..Are you? Much too gleeful for a descendent of..." Snape trailed off, his mouth open at the sight of the new man standing next to them.

To Harry's disappointment, Madam Pomfrey soon came in, but she said he may go. He slowly exited out, not letting anyone see him. He slowly walked behind a suit of armor, and nobody had noticed. Or at least, he didn't think anybody did.

"Yes I am, I have come to replace you. Of course, not to be rude! Dumbledore summoned me, just as my brother had summoned you!" He said, this time his voice quivering. Harry gaped at the man, who was looking around the corridor with interest.

The man was leaning against the wall, his completely black hair was sleekly brushed back and looked like a black cat upon his head. His eyes were glaring with a bright fire, for they actually had a tint of red in them. His smile was jovial, yet his face showed a sorrow all together if you looked at it long enough. He was tall and gangly, much like Ron. 

At this moment, he was wringing his hands, his smile gone. Apparently, Dumbledore had said something under his breath, which made him go rigid.

"He..He has? But why? Why must he do this?! We must stop him _immediately_, Albus!" The man said, looking straight at Harry. Harry stopped breathing, their eyes locked, until he looked away. He had seen Harry, but did not want to tell neither Dumbledore nor Snape. They all looked down at the floor in silence, until Snape spoke up.

"Well, if I must, I must. I shall address the students in potions tomorrow. I must go and get ready to leave now, please excuse me.." Snape said in a very grave voice and slowly walked down the corridor and turned.

"Now, I must leave. You may wander around until Snape's room is ready, but until then, do not go near him. He is in a deathly state, and will be extremely angry with you." Dumbledore warned, and then walked past Harry to the other end of the corridor, to his room. 

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little Mr. Potter, hearing in on the secret discussion of three very important men at this time. I've heard much about you. Blocking my brother's spell cast upon you, only to reflect it so that it bounds upon himself. Yes, I am the unknown brother of the Dark Lord. But I am not dark." At this, he smiled at walked over towards Harry, which, in turn, made Harry stand up and stride away from him.

"Why the hesitation? I will not harm you, I am not evil." He said, this time his voice with a cold dreary air. Harry still didn't believe him, but he thought _"Well, Dumbledore summoned him, so he can't be that bad, right?" _At this, Harry walked up, and shook his hand for a mere 2 seconds, and walked back again. 

"I ought to be off now." The mysterious man said, and he turned on his heel and walked off, leaving Harry staring at him with extreme curiosity.

Harry returned to reality and decided to tell Ron and Hermione. He bolted down corridor after corridor, until he reached the Gryffindor Common Room. He muttered the password, and entered, seeing Ron, Dean, and Seamus whispering in a corner. Harry thought for a second that it was quite odd to see Ron in a group without Hermione, until he looked to the other corner.

Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were all in one of their little groups, whispering. Hermione was crying, and Harry noticed that Ron looked upset. He walked up to Ron and looked at him.

"Hey, what happened? You okay?" He asked, looking to Hermione, who was still sobbing in the other corner.

"Crookshanks...Pig....." He muttered and pointed to an orange and light brown heap on the floor. Harry was about to retch, until he saw Hermione looking up at him.

"Hermione, what happened?!" Harry managed to say and decided he would not break down and retch on the scene, thinking, _It would only make Hermione feel worse._

"Crookshanks jumped up and caught Pig, who was flying in the air after delivering a note to Ron. Pig struggled, but Crookshanks ate..most of him." Dean explained, knowing Ron nor Hermione would not want to talk about it.

"Yeah, and then Ron yelled and put a weird curse on Crookshanks and now Ron and Hermione are mad at each other." Lavender finished for Dean, who smiled at her.

"Well, just revive them." A voice in the shadows muttered, and Alex walked out from behind the fluffy chair.

"What?" Hermione asked, drawing her attention to the 15-year-old who looked even more stunning with his eyes furrowed.

"Revive them, Hermione! Surely, the top witch knows how to do at least one resuscitation spell?" Alex questioned, looking straight at her, which, in turn, made her feel much better about the situation.

"Well, no. I haven't come across one, yet. Oh, Alex, please say you know one! I'd be so heartbroken to never see Crookshanks r-running around, or Pig flying!" Hermione said, her voice stuttering just a bit, for it was quite cold out, even if it was August. 

"Yes, I do! Quite a coincidence, I do say.." He muttered and pulled out his wand. Harry noticed it was extremely shiny, and made of Ebony. It was one wand that did not fit Harry at Mr. Ollivander's shop 5 years ago. 

Alex muttered something under his breath at which nobody could hear. Suddenly, as if a miracle, although magic is a miracle, Crookshanks rose and the heap was no more. Pig darted up and flew around Ron's head, shrieking madly.

"Thank you Alex!" Ron and Hermione both screamed and Hermione ran and hugged him. Of course, Ron didn't, for he wasn't like _that_. 

"I've got something to tell you guys!" Harry muttered to Alex, Ron, and Hermione, drawing them all into a small corner, apt with attention.

"Snape is being replaced this year" Harry began, at which Ron yelled with joy, until Harry finished. "And a new teacher is here! It's Voldemort's brother..! Snape was summoned to Voldemort himself, and Voldemort's brother came here! Scary!" Harry finished, with Ron and Alex shuddering every time Harry said his name.

"No way! That's strange! VOLDEMORT HAS A BROTHER?" Hermione said, raising her voice just a bit.

"Yes, now sshh! Snape's addressing us at potions!" Harry said, and after a long and boring talk about what to do with Snape gone, each person went up to bed and fell asleep, actually wanting to go to potions the next day. 

( A/N: REVIEW PLEASE! Fine. I have only 10 reviews and 8 of them are because I told my friends to review. xD..Funny. Yeah. Baibai. )


	12. Four Forever

( A/N: LAST CHAPTER! AND PLEASE REVIEW! If you don't like my story, too bad. But I haven't gotten any flames so far. So read. And review. Please..? BTW, I'm probably going to go on with the story in another fanfic....Like continue it. )

****

Chapter Twelve

Harry, Hermione, and Ron began walking to the dungeons at the time of Potions class. For once in their lives, and probably the only time ever, the Gryffindors were overexcited to be going to Potions class. As they entered the dungeons, the usual coldness swept over them as if they had suddenly plunged into freezing water.

Snape was pacing back and forth between his desk and the secret room where the dangerous ingredients were held. His face was grim and his hair was sloppy, much like Harry's, but with more of an evil look.

"Wow, he doesn't look too good.." Hermione stated, her eyes staring straight at Snape, who was now, trembling in his seat.

"Yeah, Hermione, you're right." Ron and Harry both agreed and for once, they did feel quite sorry for him.

As all the Gryffindors entered the room jovial, they sat down in a saddened manner. They were all caring and thoughtful, for that is why they were placed in Gryffindor, so their instincts jumped in to feel pity and sorrow at the same time.

"Hello all, Gryffindors, Slytherins. Today, as you all know, is the last Potions class of this summer program. Although it is only the beginning of August and your 5th year starts on September 1st, you will be free to do anything you would like and get ready and organized for the year during this month." Snape's voice was dreary and along with the usual coldness, it was accompanied by a mournful and grave tone. 

"I am supposed to teach you how to make a _Rubbergate _potion, but seeing of the details of yesterday's occurrences, it seems I am excused from that duty." At this, Snape took a deep breath and Hermione could not have been mistaken when she saw a tear form in his eye.

"I am no longer to be your Potions teacher. Headmaster Dumbledore has said it would only be for a year, yet I do not believe him. His tone was grave, and if it was only for a year, he would have been more jovial about it. For some very odd reason, your headmaster has summoned a very..uncommon man to replace me." Snape explained, his eyes looking to every one of the students, pausing on Malfoy and Potter, who were at adjacent tables.

"Your new Potions professor is here today, and I am supposed to introduce him, unfortunately. He went to school with me, a year ahead, and also in Slytherin." At this, all the Slytherins' faces formed a greedy smile, thinking they would get the advantage of the new professor.

"His name is--" Snape was cut short by a shriek and soft footsteps coming down the steps. To all of the Gryffindor's disappointment, it was indeed Professor Darinsta, making uproar of her footsteps upon the stone steps leading towards the dungeons at which class was in session. 

"Severus, oh Severus! Do help me! Professor Riddle is after me, I do say!" She shrieked yet again, and at the sound of the common Riddle name, every single student in the dungeons jumped and many of the girls screamed. Whispers flew across the room and heads turned all whispering the same thing.

"Did she say Riddle?"

"A Riddle shall teach us?"

"That's insane!"

Nearly all the students were now standing, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the first three at the door, watching as Darinsta ran back into another one of the dungeons, screaming for help.

"Ah! Oh dear, there he is!" Darinsta said, and at first nobody saw anything at where she was pointing, until a cackling came from the air, and a tiny poltergeist appeared.

"Muhahaha! I got you indeed, I did! First scare, this is! Bwahaha! I am truly the most malevolent poltergeist to be!" It was Peeves. Every Gryffindor groaned and headed back to their seats. Peeves, the horrible Hogwarts Poltergeist, who wanders the halls and plays prank jokes on them, was still there. 

"I thought they kicked him out!" Hermione began conversation with Alex, who, presumably, had not gone to see what was causing the problems.

"Where is Filch when you need him..?" Snape mumbled, and to his surprise, a sniveling voice came from down the hall.

"What in the world is this entire racket? I daresay, Peeves, I thought you were kicked out! How ever did you get back here, you rotting presence!" Argus Filch's voice seemed to carry throughout the whole school, and was much more horrible as it was nearing you. 

"That horrible ghost has scared me to death! It posed as the new Potions teacher and chased me down here, the terrible menace! How dare he!" Darinsta screamed, her voice hoarse from yelling all the times before.

"Do calm down, Professor! I fear the wrath of Peeves, but he is here to stay it seems." Snape replied, trying to console the professor who was near going mad.

"Peeves, go back to your hiding area, wherever it may be, or I will fetch the Bloody Baron on you if I die doing it!" Filch screamed, turned on his heel, and walked away from the scene. His pestering cat, Mrs. Norris, stayed and eyed everyone at the event of disturbance with her lamp-like yellow eyes, and soon trotted off, meowing incessantly. 

"As I was saying before the Defense against Dark Arts teacher came screaming into my room madly, you do indeed have a new Potions professor." Snape's voice was yet again tedious and he sat down in his chair, only to be stared at by many pupils. 

"A very unwise choice indeed by Professor Dumbledore, he is, in fact, Peril Riddle." Snape sighed, and gestured for the new teacher to come out from the storage area.

"Peril, what a great name..I'm sure he'll be real nice to us Gryffindors.." Ron mumbled to Harry and Hermione, who nodded in agreement.

Out of the shadows walked a tall man in dark emerald robes. His eyes were a pale gray and he was grinning at the look on the students' faces. His hair was deep brown and messed up in the utmost worst possible way. 

"Well if it isn't good ole' Hogwarts.." He whispered, looking around the dungeons in supreme happiness. His eyes twinkled much like Dumbledore's and his name seemed to be complete opposite of himself.

"If you all are wondering, my brother is the Dark Lord, and I am most unlike him in every aspect." He smiled a gleeful smile and wandered around the room, mumbling about how it's changed over the years. The students sat and stared in confusion and looked at each other inquisitively.

"He seems..happy!" Hermione whispered, and Ron looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Hermione, you _are _strange.." Ron muttered so only Harry could hear, and then looked up to Riddle, who was pacing backwards and forwards, his arms open as if accepting a hug.

"You are a strange, strange man, sir." Malfoy said, which made Riddle stop dead in his tracks, walking towards Malfoy with curiosity. Malfoy backed his chair up and stared at him with horror.

"A Malfoy, I daresay! Lucius was quite a student, when it comes to being Head Boy!" He yelled, which made every student, both Gryffindor and Slytherin, bend over with laughter. 

"Head Boy! Malfoy, you should take after your father's steps!" Alex said, talking at last, a large smile plastered upon his face.

"Hey! You shut up, right now Black!" Malfoy screamed, drawing the attention of everyone in the room, and Snape nearly fell over.

"Black? Excuse me?" Snape said, his eyes wide open with terror as he stared at Alex, who was blushing uncontrollably.

"Yessir, Black, and you would know that if you looked at the student roster once in awhile." Alex said, which made Harry, Hermione, and Ron all give him an appraising look.

"Well, well, well, aren't you the courageous one." Snape mumbled, his frown nor forming into a wicked grin. 

"Leave the boy alone, Severus." A calming voice came from the door, only to be Professor Darinsta, staring at him with eyes of fire.

"Well, whatever you say, Acandra dear." Snape and Riddle, along with most of the boys, were staring at her. 

"What is she, a Veela?" Hermione mumbled, but, unfortunately, Darinsta heard her and looked towards Hermione's table.

"No, dear, I am not at all a Veela. Come to the hall, dear, and only you. Now." She demanded, and Hermione shrugged and went out there, holding her want at her side, just in case.

In the hall, Darinsta stared at her oddly. Hermione narrowed her eyes and folded her arms, her wand now in her pocket.

"You're an intelligent, dear, I daresay. Why not in Ravenclaw..?" She questioned Hermione, who stood there, for once not knowing an answer.

"I didn't choose my house, ma'am. It was the Sorting Hat, so it must've had some reason to place me in Gryffindor." Hermione said, smiling because she found an answer at last.

"Well, as I was saying, I am from the Academy of Talented Witches in Athens, Greece. My divination professor provided me with the gift of having an incantation upon me that allows me to enchant men. But I do believe, you knew that?" She questioned, and Hermione stood there, eyes still narrowed but at level, for they were almost the same height.

"Yes, I did. Of course, who knows, you may just lie." Hermione stated, and turned to walk back into the classroom, only to be stopped by Snape in the doorway, carrying luggage.

"I was just leaving, as I said to the class. Dear Granger, intelligent Granger. I might never see you again! G'day madam!" He trotted off, looking just a bit happier than he did an hour ago.

"Why, goodbye Severus." Darinsta stated, and Hermione believed she saw him tremble. She rolled her eyes and walked back into the classroom, which was silent, for Riddle was explaining how to begin a Rubbergate potion. 

"Now, you see, you only add a teaspoon of the Boggart Dust, for too much would cause it to burst out!" It seemed Riddle added more enthusiasm to teaching potions than Snape ever would have.

"No, no, Mr. Goyle! Do not try to amuse yourself by throwing Wolf Claws at me." He turned around, and caught the flying claws in a cauldron, and the class gasped.

"How did he know...?" Ron asked, looking at Harry, who shrugged and shook his head.

"Oh dear, out of time." Riddle said, and at a wave of his wand, everybody's cauldron was sparkling clean and ready for him or her to put away.

"Wow, Professor Riddle, you rock!" Lavender giggled towards him, and then returned to packing away her things. 

He turned swiftly towards her and smiled a dreadful smile, yet for some odd reason, a smile that made Lavender feel warm inside. She nearly collapsed at the sight of him. 

"Honestly, he isn't even as good-looking as Sirius or Alex!" Hermione mumbled, and Harry looked at her with a grin on his face.

"Oh, Hermione like Sirius! I've got to tell him this. Oh, no wait, I'll tell Alex first!" Harry said and ran towards Alex, only to notice his bag split open.

"Hermione..!" He mumbled and began picking up his things. Hermione seemed to be the only person who noticed Riddle staring oddly at Harry, his eyes narrowed with another malicious grin on his face.

"I didn't do anything, Harry! Honestly!" She said, still looking at Riddle until he drew his eyes to her, which made her jump back, grab Ron's shoulder, and nearly scream.

"Hermione, _what _are you doing?" He mumbled, rolling his eyes, although Harry knew he felt happy inside.

"Er, sorry Ron. Nothing, nothing.." She mumbled and ran towards the Gryffindor Common Room. 

"What's into her?" Ron asked, and Harry shrugged. They walked off towards where they kept the owls, and as they got there, Harry whistled and Hedwig came flying down. Ron motioned with his hand, and Pig shot down from the top rafters.

"Are you writing to Sirius? I'm going to write to mum." Ron said, and began scribbling on a note and attached it to Pig's leg.

"Now, Pig, go to mum. Don't get lost, you." He said to Pig, who ruffled his feathers in response, and took off, after Hedwig.

"Well, off we go to get ready for our 5th year. It seems like we already are in it! Just about everyone had showed up either at the beginning or a little later of the program." Harry said, and nudged Ron's elbow. The two boys walked out towards Gryffindor Common Room, meeting up with Alex and Hermione. All four walked off, joking each other in a friendly way, towards what now seemed to Harry, as the best place on Earth to be during the reign of Lord Voldemort. 


End file.
